Mark Ronson - Version [PA] (CD 2007)

Mark Ronson's Version is indeed eagerly anticipated and what's clear is that for the most part that anticipation is not only lived up to, but surpassed.

It's difficult to know where to start when recommending the best tracks. You should have already heard the Smiths cover (Stop Me) which is just genius, the version of Britney's Toxic, which is even more playful and funky than the original and the cover of Radiohead's Just which in some ways shows that if Thom Yorke put his mind to it his version of "experimental" wouldn't have to be so dull.

There's plenty more to enjoy as well. Ronson brings out the best vocal performance we've had yet from Lily Allen on the cover of the Kaiser Cheifs Oh My God, whilst Ronson also proves that he had more than a little to do with Amy Winehouse's renaissance on Back To Black with a great Mowtown-esque version of the Zuton's Valerie. It also works well with the original vocalists as well as Maximo Park's Paul Smith contributes to a snazzy version of Apply Some Pressure.

In fact the only one that doesn't really work at all is Kasabian joining Ronson on a version of L.S.F. But that just goes to prove that whilst Ronson might be a musical genius, not even he is quite up to the task of making Kasabian something worth listening to.

It might seem a little bizarre to be trumpeting an album of cover versions as one of the best of the year so far, but believe me that's not over-stating matters in the slightest. This is a must-have album every step of the way.